This collection of over 20 lemon balm recipes uses fresh leaves, from lemon balm tea, salad vinaigrette, lemonade, or syrup to lip balm for cold sores.
Learn different ways to use lemon balm in your kitchen or apothecary, using fresh or dried leaves. This relaxing and calming herb that smells like lemon has calming properties and can be used in cooking, baking, and herbal remedies.
What is lemon balm?
Every time I am in the backyard, it delights my senses with its lemon flavor and fragrance, which attract honey bees. Its Latin name, Melissa, means “honey bee,” and it was planted in ancient times around beehives to encourage bees to be happy and stay together.
Known as Melissa officinalis, the lemon balm is easy to grow perennial herb. with many medicinal benefits.
Paracelsus called the lemon balm plant the “elixir of life.” For thousands of years, it has been used to enhance mood and alleviate anxiety and insomnia.
However, its medicinal benefits don’t stop there. This member of the mint family may ease pain and discomfort from indigestion or help with menstrual cramps.
Like mint, lemon balm is from the same family Lamiacea, and they are both similar-looking but different herbs.
Health Benefits of lemon balm
Lemon balm has been prized for its calming properties and ability to promote better sleep and reduce stress and anxiety.
In addition, this lemon-scented herb eases digestion and bloating, eases pain and also helps with menstrual cramps.
In addition, some studies have shown that lemon balm can increase sense of well-being, happiness, and alertness.
You can even apply lemon balm topically at the first sign of a cold sore.
Lemon balm tea
Lemon balm recipes
If you’ve ever planted lemon balm, you know how quickly one small plant can spread across your garden!
Luckily, lemon balm is very useful, and today, I’m sharing more than twenty ways to use this plant.
Note: If you’re pregnant, nursing, or have any health concerns, talk to a health professional before using lemon balm as medicine. I am not a certified medical practitioner, and this post is not intended to diagnose or treat but is for informational purposes only.
1. Lemon Balm tea
The easiest way to enjoy lemon balm’s calming properties is to brew Lemon balm tea. You can make this caffeine-free tea from fresh or dried herbs, which helps reduce anxiety and improve sleep. Pour the tea into the jar with the teaspoon of honey and add lemon juice or ginger for extra flavors.
lemon balm pesto
2. Lemon Balm pesto
Pesto is a fresh and aromatic spread that’s easy to make. Blend lemon balm leaves with olive oil, garlic, nuts, and cheese for a flavorful pesto that boosts your immune system and adds citrusy flavor to pasta, pizza or toast.
3. Smoothie with lemon balm
Blend a Lemon Balm Smoothie for a refreshing and healthy start to your day. It eases digestion and lifts your mood.
lemon balm smoothie
4. Lemon Balm Simple Syrup
Making Simple Syrup is an easy way to add a touch of sweetness and a calming effect to your beverages. Simmer lemon balm leaves with sugar and water. Bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved to create a versatile lemon balm syrup to sweeten your cocktails, teas, and desserts. I use it the same way as infused honey to sweeten my teas.
5. Lemon Balm Ginger and Cold Syrup
This syrup is made by combining the lemon balm simple syrup above with ginger for additional antiviral properties.
Lemon balm syrup
6. Lemonade
Lemon balm also makes delicious lemonades or iced tea. This summer’s favorite Sweet and refreshing lemonade recipe is delicious and makes excellent use of a few lemon and lemon balm.
7. Lemon Balm Iced Tea
Lemon balm makes a tasty iced tea.
While lemon balm adds a citrusy flavor, you can also try mint, basil, or lavender for a twist.
8. Raspberry lemon Balm Shrub
This refreshing beverage is perfect for summer and helps you with digestion. Combine raspberries, lemon balm, vinegar, and sugar to create a shrub that aids digestion and provides a delightful tartness to drinks.
Raspberry lemon Balm Shrub
9. Lemon Balm Salsa Verde
this is a great way to enhance grilled meats or fish. Blend lemon balm leaves with garlic, olive oil, and herbs for a vibrant sauce that supports digestive health and adds a fresh, zesty flavor.
10. Vinaigrette
Similarly, you can whisk up lemon balm vinaigrette, which adds a citrusy flavor to any summer salad. I like to use cucumber salads or use it on fish dishes with freshly ground pepper. You can also use other herbs, like rosemary or thyme.
11. Lemon Balm Pasta with shrimp
Combine pesto with pasta and shrimp for a delicious and quick meal that combines protein with the digestive benefits of lemon balm.
Lemon balm is a versatile herb that add a unique twist to sweets.
Cookies with lemon balm
12. Lemon balm Cookies
These cookies with Poppy Seeds are a tasty treat with calming and stress-relieving properties.
13. Lemon Balm Bundt Cake
Similalry, you can whip up Lemon Balm Bundt cake for a delightful snack that also provides a soothing effect.
14. Blueberry and Lemon Balm Ice Cream
There are no limits to imagination, so why not add lemon balm to ice cream to chill on a hot day? Adding the flavor of lemon balm to homemade blueberry ice cream brings your treat a fresh, unique flavor.
Ways to use lemon balm in remedies
15. Lemon balm Oil
Soothing emon balm oil and balm moisturize and promote skin healing. Due to their antiviral properties, lemon balm may help with cold sores.
16. Lemon Balm lip balm
Once you have the lemon balm oil, you can easily blend it with beeswax and other nourishing oils like coconut or almond oil. Then, pour the mixture into lip balm containers and let it cool and solidify. This homemade lip balm will not only keep your lips moisturized but also works wonders for cold sores, thanks to the antiviral properties of lemon balm.
Lemon balm lip balm
17. Lemon Balm Salve
This salve made from lemon balm leaves, beeswax, and carrier oils is great for summer hiking, when you stumble upon a nasty scrape. It soothes skin irritations, insect bites, and minor cuts and scrapes.
18. Lemon Balm soap
To make Lemon Balm soap, utilize the lemon balm oil extracted from lemon balm leaves. This herbal soap is cleansing and also provides skin-soothing benefits.
Lemon balm tincture
19. Lemon balm Tincture
This Lemon Balm Tincture is an easy way to harness the calming properties of this herb. Steep lemon balm leaves in alcohol to create a concentrated liquid that helps reduce stress and promote emotional balance. You can use either dried or fresh lemon balm leaves for your tincture, which you strain with a strainer after two weeks of maceration.
20. Lemon balm Hair Rinse
Grab a pitcher or jar and fill it with water for a Lemon Balm Hair Rinse. Add freshly picked lemon balm leaves to the container, then let it sit for a few hours or overnight. After that, strain the mixture and use the infused water as a final rinse after shampooing your hair. It will leave your hair smelling fresh and looking shiny.
21. Mosquito Repellent
This lemon balm mosquito repellent is a homemade herbal formula that keeps away insects, bugs, and mosquitoes naturally. While people love its lemony flavor and aroma and often use fresh herbs in perfumes, mosquitoes hate it, which makes lemon balm a perfect addition to our daily mosquito spray.
Lemon balm repellent
22. Relaxing Bath
Make a relaxing bath by filling a bath bag with lemon balm leaves and rose petals to soothe your skin and calm your mind.
You can also hang the bath bag from the spigot and let the water run through as the tub fills for a fragrant and relaxing bath experience.
For even more relaxation, try throwing a cup of Epsom salt into the tub as well to relieve muscle tension.
